instrument panel CADILLAC CTS 2003 1.G User Guide

2-35
Sport Mode Button
(Automatic Transmission Only)
This button allows you to change the driving mode of
the vehicle from the normal driving mode to a sportier
driving mode. In sport mode the vehicle will have firmer
shifting and increased performance.
The sport mode button is
located on the center
console near the
transmission shift lever.
Press the button once to turn on the sport mode.
Press the button again to return to normal driving mode.
This light located on the
instrument panel cluster
will come on when the sport
mode is active.
When you turn off the ignition while driving in sport
mode, the vehicle will remain in sport mode. Press the
sport mode button again to turn off the feature and
return to normal driving mode.

2-36
Winter Driving Mode Button
(Automatic Transmission Only)
This feature provides more traction during slippery
conditions by using THIRD (3) gear instead of
SECOND (2) when you begin to accelerate from a
stopped position.
The winter driving mode
button is located on the
center console near the
transmission shift lever.
Press this button once to turn on the winter driving
mode feature. Press it again to turn the feature off.
The winter driving mode feature works when the vehicle
is in any gear except SECOND (2).
This light on the instrument
panel cluster will come on
when the winter driving
mode is active.
When you turn off the ignition while using this feature,
winter mode is automatically turned off. The vehicle
will return to normal driving mode. You must reselect
the winter driving mode feature each time you restart the
vehicle if you wish to use the feature.
The transmission will be in THIRD (3) gear when the
vehicle begins to move. Once the vehicle is moving, the
vehicle will upshift normally.
The transmission will downshift when the accelerator
pedal is pressed and held for more than two seconds.
This feature is not intended for continuous use or for
use when the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice, snow or
gravel. If your vehicle becomes stuck, see ªRocking
Your Vehicleº in the Index for more information on
how to free it.

2-38
Shift Speeds
CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you could
lose control of your vehicle. You could injure
yourself or others. Don't shift down more than
one gear at a time when you downshift.
NOTICE:
If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, or if you race the engine when you
release the clutch pedal while downshifting, you
could damage the clutch or the transmission.
If the vehicle speed drops below 20 mph (32 km/h), or
if the engine is not running smoothly, you should
downshift to the next lower gear. You may have to
downshift two or more gears to keep the engine running
smoothly or for good performance.
Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located on the lower
portion of the instrument
panel to the left of the
steering wheel.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and push the parking brake
pedal down with your left foot.

2-39
To release the parking brake, pull the release lever
located to the left of the steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
on the instrument panel cluster should come on. If it
doesn't, you need to have your vehicle serviced. See
ªBrake System Warning Lightº in the Index for more
information.
NOTICE:
Do not drive your vehicle with the parking brake
on. Driving with the parking brake engaged can
cause your vehicle's rear brakes to overheat. You
may have to replace them, and you could also
damage other parts of your vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if the parking brake is set,
the ignition is on and the vehicle begins to move. To
stop the chime, fully release the parking brake.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a hill, see
ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index for more information.

2-46
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:

Turn and Lane
-Change Signals

Headlamps

Headlamp High/Low Beam
-Changer

Flash
-To-Pass Feature

Fog Lamps
For more information on the exterior lamps, see
ªExterior Lampsº later in this section.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
The lever returns automatically when the turn is
complete.
Arrows on the instrument
panel cluster flash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to flash to
signal a lane change. Hold it there until the lane change
is complete. The lever returns to its original position
when it's released.
Arrows that flash rapidly when signaling for a turn or
lane change may be caused by a burned
-out signal bulb.
Other driver's won't see the signal.
Replace burned
-out bulbs to help avoid possible
accidents. Check the fuse and for burned
-out bulbs if the
arrow fails to work when signaling a turn. See ªFuses
and Circuit Breakersº in the Index for more information.

2-47
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for approximately 1 mile
(1.61 km), a warning chime will sound and the
Turn Signal On message will appear on the Driver
Information Center (DIC) display. See ªTurn Signal
On Messageº later in this section for more information.
Headlamps
The exterior lamp control is located at the end of the
turn signal/multifunction lever.
: Turn the control with this symbol on it to operate
the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp control has three positions:
: Turning the control to this position turns off all
lamps except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
: Turning the control to this position turns on the
parking lamps together with the following:

Sidemarker Lamps

Taillamps

License Plate Lamps

Instrument Panel Lights
: Turning the control to this position turns on the
headlamps, together with the previously listed lamps
and lights.
AUTO (Automatic): Turning the control to this
position puts the headlamps in automatic mode. AUTO
mode will turn the exterior lamps on and off depending
upon how much light is available outside of the vehicle.
Wiper
-Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the headlamps and parking lamps
after the windshield wipers have been in use for
approximately six seconds. For this feature to work, the
exterior lamp control must be in AUTO.
When the exterior lamp control is off or in the parking
lamp position and the windshield wiper control is in any
position except off, the Headlamps Suggested message
will appear on the DIC display. See ªHeadlamps
Suggested Messageº later in this section for more
information.
When the ignition is turned to OFF, the wiper
-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. They will also turn
off if the windshield wiper control is turned off.

2-48
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Push forward on the turn signal/multifunction lever to
change the headlamps from low to high beam. Pull the
lever back and then release it to change from high to
low beam.
This light on the instrument
panel cluster will be on,
indicating high
-beam usage.
Lamps On Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the exterior lamp control
is left on in either the headlamp or parking lamp
position and the driver's door is opened with the
ignition off.
Flash-To-Pass Feature
This feature allows you to use the high-beam headlamps
to signal the driver in front of you that you want to pass.
Pull and hold the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you to use. When you do, the following will occur:

If the headlamps are either off, in low
-beam or in
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) mode, the
high
-beam headlamps will turn on. They'll stay on
as long as you hold the lever there. Release the lever
to turn them off.

If the headlamps are in high
-beam mode, they will
switch to low beam. To return to high
-beam, push
the lever away from you.

2-54
Setting Cruise Control
CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you're not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you don't want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Press the cruise control on/off button to turn cruise
control on. An indicator light will come on to show
that the cruise control is on.
2. Accelerate to the speed you want.
3. Press either the plus or minus button and release it.
This will set the cruise control.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
This light on the instrument
panel cluster will come on
when cruise control is on.
It will go out when cruise
control is turned off.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This shuts off the cruise
control. But you don't need to reset it.
Once the vehicle is traveling approximately 25 mph
(40 km/h) or more, you can press the resume/accelerate
button to return to your desired preset speed. The cruise
control light will be displayed again.
The vehicle will return to and stay at your preset speed.
If you press and hold the resume/accelerate button, the
vehicle speed will increase until you release the button
or apply the brake. Unless you want to go faster, do not
press and hold the resume/accelerate button.

2-57
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully
functional daytime running lamps are required on all
vehicles first sold in Canada.
The DRL system will make the turn signal lamps come
on when the following conditions are met:

It is still daylight and the ignition is in ON
or START,

the exterior lamp control is in OFF or AUTO with
the headlamps off, and

an automatic transmission is not in PARK (P) or the
parking brake is not set on a manual transmission.
When DRL are on, only your turn signal lamps will be on.
No other exterior lamps will be on when the DRL are
being used. Your instrument panel won't be lit up either.
When the exterior lamp control is in AUTO and it's dark
enough outside, the DRL will turn off and the low
-beam
headlamps will turn on. When it's bright enough
outside, the low
-beam headlamps will go off, and the
DRL will turn back on.If it's dark enough outside and the exterior lamp control
is in OFF, a Headlamps Suggested message will appear
on the Driver's Information Center (DIC) display. This
message informs the driver that turning on the exterior
lamps is recommended even though the DRL are still
illuminated. Turning the exterior lamp control to AUTO
or to the low
-beam headlamp position will turn off the
DRL and cancel the Headlamps Suggested message.
If the parking lamps or the fog lamps were turned on
instead, the DRL will still turn off and the Headlamps
Suggested message will be displayed. You can turn it off
by pressing the OK button if you have the Navigation
audio system or the CLR button if you have the base
audio system.
To operate your vehicle with the DRL off, turn the
exterior lamp control to OFF. Then turn on the fog
lamps or parking lamps, and the DRL will turn off.
The Headlamps Suggested message will appear on the
DIC display. This will work regardless of gear position
and whether or not the parking brake is set.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.

2-58
Light Sensor
The light sensor for the DRL and AUTO headlamp
feature is located on top of the instrument panel. If you
cover the sensor, it will read dark, and the exterior lamps
or the Headlamps Suggested message will appear on the
DIC whenever the ignition is on.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the parking lamps or headlamps have been left on, the
exterior lamps will turn off approximately 10 minutes
after the ignition is turned to OFF. This protects against
draining the battery in case you have accidentally left
the headlamps or parking lamps on. The battery saver
does not work if the headlamps are turned on after the
ignition is turned to OFF.
If you need to leave the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, use the exterior lamp control to turn
the lamps back on.